Corbanus

Corbanus like the word Corban had to do with a treasury. The word "Corban" was from the ancient Hebrew world appearing in the New Testament twice, once as Corban and once as treasury. It is from a word meaning Sacrifice.

The sacrifices of the people in Israel were freely given to Levite ministers or Priests of their choice to take care of the needs and needy of society. Those free offerings and the aid they provided in liberty and love bound an honorable society together in charity and hope by faith in The Way of Christ.

One of the chief difference between the Jews like the Pharisees and those who followed Christ is that their offerings or Corban were based on charity. This dependence upon charity rather than the socialist free bread of Herod and the Roman welfare state began with John the Baptist and continued for centuries beyond the fall of Rome.

This Poor Box in the church stand on an octanglular base said to be part of a cross which stood near the churchyard gates, the poor box which is made from a hollowed block of wood clad in metal and have three locks, the keys being kept by the rector and church wardens. Further protection is by way of a internally pivoted inverted metal saucer.

The early church called the box they put funds or food etc. in order to take care of the needs of the people Corbanus after the Hebrew word Corban.

Other words like corballum or corbella became words for a basket in which food or grain was gathered for the poor.

Also the word corbanus is seen later referring to a rural dean (plebanus) in Ireland.

There is a story about a ruler in Ireland in the fifth century named Cuirbin who was a churl or miser. He reportedly saw some monks going to an island in frail boats to build a monastery. He offered them some grain and provisions in jest knowing their boats could not carry the barrels and barely themselves.

The monk named Enda seemed perceived the lack of sincerity in his offer but he continued in mockery saying it was from "his heart". Enda agreed to take them anyway. The story is that the barrels and sacks suddenly lifted off the ground and flew over the heads of the men in the direction of the island presumably to the other beach.

Later Cuirbin became Cuirbin the Devout which was altered eventually to St. Corbanus because he did begin to give from the heart freely.

The monasteries and island also housed Brendan the Navigator who supposedly came to America in in the fifth century with a number of monks in seal skin boats.